Range rules: No arriving with loaded magazines (not inserted into firearms)?

Florida has no laws about that. Sounds like an overly control-freaky range. The ones I go to just say no loaded firearms.

I’ve never heard of a rule about not having loaded magazines. That’s crazy!

Are there states that prohibit possessing loaded magazines?

Wisco said:

I’ve never heard of a rule about not having loaded magazines. That’s crazy!

Are there states that prohibit possessing loaded magazines?

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Ohio did not have a law against it explicitly but it was illegal to have a loaded gun in a vehicle (unless you have a concealed carry license) and the way the laws was written a firearm in a vehicle would be considered loaded if the magazine for it was loaded whether the magazine was in the firearm or not. I believe that law was change shortly after I moved out of the state.

I've been to the NRA range and sometimes there's a wait for a lane. When it's busy the whole waiting lobby is full of people loading mags.

My usual range just has a sign about not transporting loaded firearms. Carrying (in a holster) a loaded firearm is fine, as is carry a stack of loaded magazines.

This sounds like a sneaky way to get people to spend less time shooting and more time loading magazines while at the range so they spend more money on lane rental if it’s true.

I’d wonder what the facility is like if it is true. My guess would be a less than stellar one.

Could be a good reason for it that is being missed. A local shop I frequented before I moved had a basement range. It was in city limits and the range was grandfathered in since it was outside of city limits and operational when the city annexed that direction. Their only requirements (based on build details) were to limit the range to pistol calibers and not to allow armor piercing ammo. The trap was a thick steel plate on angle to deflect bullets down into a sand bed. The rules were clear, their fees were very reasonable, and they were nice folks, but the ridiculous marks on the steel plate certainly indicated that armor piercing ammo had been used a few times. After some legal threats they started limiting the range to ammunition that they sold (at a discounted rate even) and carried downstairs when they unlocked the range. They could be going to an extreme to keep their butts out of hot water, or to avoid an unsafe situation where people put ball ammo on top of a mag and other stuff they aren’t supposed to use below it just to sneak it by.

Local range does that as policy to all AR and AK shooters cause some Yahoos try to sneak tracers and AP ammo.
It is in a low end neighborhood and I refuse to go there.

I've never heard of such a thing, but I suppose that it could happen and there even be a good reason for it.

Might be the range's insurance policy. My private range is an NRA affiliate and I think the NRA under writes their insurance. My range is cold until you're on the firing line. I know this has nothing to do with loaded magazines but it still might have something to do with the owners liability.

Sounds like erring on the side of safety.

Need the name of the range so I can stay FAR away

AFS

No such law in Fl. I wouldn't play such a game anyway- I load all my mags, prep targets, etc.at home the night before a range session. I go to the range to train, not screw around in the heat/cold/rain with equipment

Later in thread OP asked his friend and got clarification of said rules that it was intended to not include detached box magazines in any way. The firearm itself including chamber was required to be empty unless on the firing line. Not such a bad idea to me when moving around other people at the range safety wise. This is a requirement in many formal ranges both public and private though some allow for CCW to be loaded and holstered as normally done. The rules and video in link seem straight forward and reasonable to me. Always a learning curve for new shooters, but glad the OP got them squared away on this.

If'n you are talking about Triple N Ranch which opened in November, different range safety officers have different rules. I've gone twice and the "rules" were different. First time was a lot of "chicken grit" second time was relaxed. Avoid it if you are the "world's greatest expert." Joe

Our indoor range does this. Ostensibly it's an ammunition check to prevent magnetic ammunition from being used on their range but in practice I feel as if it really best serves to help them tick off minutes on the range. It's $45/hr for non-members to share the shooting lane (necessary with new shooters for their safety or while acting as a "foid sponsor") and half of that time can be spent loading magazines, changing targets, and maintaining brass. It's a nice place but the hourly costs are a ripoff and membership is prohibitively expensive in my opinion, particularly when you aren't allowed to load your magazines, use reloads, or shoot your ammunition of choice.

It's the range's rule, not State law; I understand the reason for it, though I disagree with it. The reason is twofold; One, easier to inspect ammo brought in, if they have such a policy, and to prevent someone from loading up outside of the range, which would probably be an insurance company-imposed rule.

WestKentucky said:

They could be going to an extreme to keep their butts out of hot water, or to avoid an unsafe situation where people put ball ammo on top of a mag and other stuff they aren’t supposed to use below it just to sneak it by.

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SeanSw said:

Ostensibly it's an ammunition check to prevent magnetic ammunition from being used on their range but in practice I feel as if it really best serves to help them tick off minutes on the range.

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I occasionally go to an indoor range that also has the "no loaded magazines" rule and it is for the reasons in the above quotes. They instituted the rule after a fire that apparently was caused by someone using steel projectiles.

They always make you show them your ammo and they do actually check pistol ammo with a magnet if they have any suspicions. They also have a rifle bay, and they check all of that ammo (not every round, but a random sample of each container). They don't charge fees based on time, however. Once you pay for your lane, you can shoot as long as you want or until they close - whichever comes first...

pharmer said:

If'n you are talking about Triple N Ranch which opened in November, different range safety officers have different rules. I've gone twice and the "rules" were different. First time was a lot of "chicken grit" second time was relaxed. Avoid it if you are the "world's greatest expert." Joe

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I routinely shoot at triple N ranch, and find it a very nicely equipped, and generally safe range to go to. Considering it is public you do run into some strange shooters, but for the most part, I really like the place. The range safety officers have been very easy going and not an issue at all. I normally arrive with 10 to 15 pre loaded ar 15 magazines. never had an issue. It sucks I have to drive nearly an hour to get to an outdoor range that isn't a private club with outlandish fees.

I belong to three different ranges. Just say no loaded guns nothing about magazines. If you have a concealed weapons permit one of the ranges lets you carry your concealed weapon loaded if done so in accordance with the law. None of them have time limits and you can swap ranges at no charge pistol to rifle, rifle to pistol as often as you like.

rodregier said:

... any ideas/knowledge of what is the intent/purpose behind such a rule by the range operator?

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I would bypass all of the speculation and just ask the friend to ask the range operator.

Range rules seem to be fairly uniform among all the different FWC operated shooting ranges in Florida. They are moving forward towards having a common range ID card, that you can get scanned at any facility within the system to verify you have watched the safety videos and are aware of their rules. Perfectly fine to bring loaded magazines to the range, just not have the magazine IN the weapon upon arrival.